Brief Interview With the State Senate Candidates

 

OP submitted two questions to each State Senate candidate. One relating to their respective plans how to bring relief to Yeshiva students, and the second is about their effectiveness if we elect them to represent us in Albany. Here are the questions and their answers that will hopefully help you make a better decision.

OP to Mr. Fidler: Re the tuitions tax credit issue. A similar bill was proposed several years ago by Marty Golden and Vito Lopez, but subsequently defeated by Shelly Silver, who instead passed a tax credit for all school age children. Why do you think you’d have better chances to pass such a contentious credit?

And by the way, are you talking about a refundable tax credit (that goes for non-taxpayers as well)?



David Storobin



Lew Fidler: My proposal is a refundable tax credit, which means that if the credit exceeds the tax, the difference would be paid back to the parents.  I believe it's fair, and I believe it's about time that our State do something to help yeshiva parents.  The Senate leadership has failed to bring much-needed relief to my community.  I intend to change that.

OP to Mr. Storobin: Re the promise to work for the enactment of Tuition Vouchers: State Senator Marty Golden, one of your greatest supporters, is on record that this is unrealistic in NY due to the blain amendment. Isn't it an unrealistic proposal, especially given the current Assembly composition? Golden him-self proposed several years ago a tuition tax credit. Why shouldn't we work on a more realistic goal like this?

David Storobin: We need to have both long-term and short-term goals. In the immediate future, we need tax credits. But we also need to work towards school vouchers. Is it unrealistic? No. Because so many things that were said to be unrealistic became reality. Look at Rudy Giuliani's crime reforms, which were called unrealistic. Look at welfare reform that was called unrealistic for decades. And on the other side, liberals pushed for same-gender marriage for decades even though it was called unrealistic… We need to fight for what's right, not to surrender just because it is difficult.

OP to MR Storobin: You have no experience in politics and legislation. Aren't you requesting the voters to support you blindly, without knowing if you have the qualifications to be an effective legislature, which requires the ability to forge coalitions, consensuses, and the creativity to bring the majority (PS parents) to support the minority's interests? 

Mr. Storobin: Look at the results we've achieved from career politicians: corruption, fiscal mismanagement, arrogance towards the voters. This isn't what we need. We need someone who's created jobs and knows what that takes. The Founding Fathers never meant for politics to be a full-time, permanent career. They were right. We need regular people to fight for us in Albany, not another career politician who is coming from a corrupt political machine with experience in New York City's fiscal mismanagement. 

Lew Fidler

OP to Mr. Fidler: We know that you have been a powerful advocate on behalf of the Orthodox Community in the city council where you are in the majority. In the State Senate, the republicans are at the helm, and the odds are that they will stay in power. Can you make the case why we shouldn’t choose someone with the majority, who will have a better chance pushing his proposal?

Mr. Fidler: First, I disagree with the premise that the Republicans will remain in the majority, but even more, I disagree with the premise that having Republicans in the majority is better for our yeshivas. 

The fact is that Republicans have been in the majority for the last two years and except for a two-year break, decades before that.  And during all that time, the burden on yeshiva parents has continued to skyrocket and the Republicans have done nothing to help.  I firmly believe that a moderate, common-sense Democrat can help move the Democratic conference toward passing this important relief for yeshiva parents, and I'll fight to make it happen.

Whatever you decide, remember to vote on Tuesday, March 20. With a higher turnout, the Orthodox voters are the winners.

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